Device for changing the tone of the string of alpha musical instrument



Oct. 18, 1932. RYAN 1,883,410

DEVICE FOR CHANGING THE TONE OF THE STRING OF A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed June 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 a; a W

Jknfl' mvENTOR J. A. 'RYAN DEVICE FOR CHANGING THE TONE OF THE STRING OF A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed June 19. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JaknAjiya I mvzrnon j avw M ATTORNEY$ Oct. 18, 1932.; J. A. RYAN 1,333,410

DEVICE 'Fon cnA-Naim 1THE TONE OF THE STRING OF A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed June 19. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ja'krzflifyaa,

INVENTOR Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED TA E JOHN A. RYAN, F PITTSBUfRGHj PENNSYLVANIA DEVICE non CHANGING THE'TONE .oE rrIInfsT nINeor A-MUs cAr, .msmvmma,

Application filed. June s,

This invention relates toa device adapted to be used for changing the tone of the string or strings of a musical instrument and consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

v The device is'especially adapted to be used upon the Hawaiian steel guitar. This instrument is tuned in the major chordsjonly and it is frequently impossible for a performer to produce minor chords without stopping the playing of a piece to retune the string. With the use of the device hereinafter described a performer will be able to change the tone of the strings while he is playing upon the instrument to produce complete minor chords. The device may be built in the bridge of the guitar or it may be i'ncased within a block which may be positioned upon the body of the guitar below the bridge and the device includes a lever member which extends toward the string playing hand of the performer and which maybe manipulated during the rendition of a number whereby the tune of the strings may be changed from major chords to minor chords and vice versa while the piece isbeing played.

Inthe accompanying drawings a Figure 1 is a front elevationalyiew of a guitar showing one form of the device/applied thereto. 7. p Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectlonal view of the device.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View of the device cut on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the device showing parts broken away and parts in section.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the form shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of a shaft used in the form as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 is a plan view of still another 4 modified form of the device.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional View of the form shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the form shown in Figures "30 7 and 8.

Figure 10is a horizontalisectional view of jstillanother modifiedfformbf the device. a

, Figure-llfis a longitudinalisectional view of the form shown inFigure' 10.

Figure 12 is an elevationalview .of'a gui- 6'5 .tarshowing the form as illustrated in Fig ureslO'and 11 of th edevice' applied thereto. In the formas illustrated-in Figures 1,12 and ,3 of the drawingsthe device consists of a casing 1 adapted to be mounted upon the to body of the guitar 2 below the bridge 3 there of. "A pin 4 is mountedfor turning inovementin the casing 1 and the endf'p'ortion of one fof the 'strings 5 of the instrument is adapted to wind upon the pin 4. "The pin at '65 is provided with a worm" 'wheel. 6. which meshes with aworm 7 mounted upon a'shaft 8 which in turn is journale'd inth e casingl.

A lever 9 is'connected with the shaft Sand extends around the end of the'bridges as 7 shown in Figure. 1 of the drawings and the end of the said leveris so disposedthat pressure maybe applied to thesaine by the hand of the performer who is striking thestrings. The string his the second stri'ng 'or; the C sh arp when the'strings are tuned ina'major chord. An arm' 10 is fixed to the shaft 18 and located within the casing 1. 111 is "carried at the free end of the 'a'rmlO and may bearagainst the surface of thebody of the guitar or againstthe inner wall of the casing 1 to prevent noise when the arm 10.is moved. A screw 12'i s threaded through the outer wall of the casing 1 and bears upon a disk13 which in turn bears upon the upper end of a springl l, the said spring resting at its lower end upon the freeendportion of the arm 10. A second screw 15 is threaded through the outer wall of the casingl and its .1 inner endis located in the pathof movement 5 ofthe arm 10 and the saidscrew 15" is adapted to .limit the swinging movement {of the rm r Thestrings' of the guitara're tuned tothe usual ma'or chords; during theiplaygin'g 5 of a'num er the performer desires tofstrike a minor chord. places afingero'f his right hand upon the freeend df'the lever 9'.'and

dep e e t Y Ze i J -S "ne ates th ee"? "is connectea with'the"shaft'8haii1figtheworin "10o the spring 14 is compressed; When it isde 'r sired to change back to the major chord the performer removes --pre'ssure from i-the free s end of the lever 9- and the spring 1 f bearing upon the arm 10 returnsthe parts-to normal position, By adjusting the screw 12 7 the spring 14 may be kept at'propertension. In the ,form of the invention as shown, in gures 4, 5 andGfthe pine as hereinbeforedescribed isdispensed with and in lieu there of theshaft'8 isprovided witl'if "a claw 16 which is afda'ptedto engage a knot provided at the endofthe string 5 andflcjonsequently the tension'ofthe string 5 is changed as-the claw l6 'is swung around the axis of the shaft'8'.

In thefform of the invention as illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9 the shaft 8 is provided with acam 17 adaptedto cngage' against a lugi18 provided upon a pin ijand the string 5 is attachedto the said pin sothat the tension of the said string is changed when the shaft 8 turns so that the cam 17 strikes against the lug 18Vand turns the pin.

r In the form of theinvention as show'nin Figures 10,11 and 12 the device is built into the bridge of the guitar. The shaft 8 carries a beveled pinion 20 which meshes with a similar pinion 21 carried at the lower end of a pin 4f. 4;". An arm 22 is housed within the bridge and attached to the pin i.' The arm works against the pressure of a spring 14 which in turniis controlled by a disk 13 and screw 12 as hereinbefore described. r

The various forms and partshereinbefore described may be used as parts of the bridge of the instrument or separately and they may operate upon one or more strings and upon any string. r

The device may be used upon Spanish guitars or similar as well as upon guitars of the Hawaiian type. The device is'not necessarily limited to changing major chordsto minorchords but may be used for forming '7thchords by adding two ormore lever devices to th'earrangement. The broad idea is to provide means for altering the tension upon the strings, of the instrument while the strings are being' played.

;;Having described the" invention what is v.

iclaimedisr v A 1 a i 1.1 A device for changing the tone of the string of a musical instrument comprising Zia tees. ease 'e ee telerted 9 a- The string 5 is attached to the pin atone changing 'element'adaptedto be ap- 'plie'd'to the body of the instrument and adapted to, be'LQonnected with the string, a lever member adapted to operate the tone changing element and adaptedrto be. operated by the string playing hand of the performer while inplaying position and means for returning the parts to normal position.

'3. A device for changing the tone jof the string of a musical instrument comprising aftone-ehanging' element adapted to be applied to the body of'the instrument vand adapted to be connected with" the string, a

lever member-i adapted to operate theftone chang ng elementand adapted to be operated the string piay' n hand of the performer while in playing pos tion and means for regulating the movement of thejteii'e lchanging l ment.

; i. device for changing the tone. trite string a musical instrument'coinprising a tonechanging element adapted to be appliedt'o the body of the instrument and adapted to beconnected with the string, a lever. member adapted to operate theftone changing element and adapted to be operated by the string playing h-andof theperformer while in string playing position, means for returning the parts to, normal position and means for regulating the movement of the tone changing element.

5. device for changing the tone of the string of a musical instrument comprising a shaft adapted to be applied to the body of theinstrument, a lever member for the shaft, astring engaging member adapted to be operated'by the shaft and a spring for returning the shaft to normal position. v 1

6. A device for changing the tone'of'the' string of a musical instrument comprising. a shaft, adapted to be applied to the body of the instrument, a lever member connected with the shaft, means for regulating the 'turningmovement of the shaft and spring to normal 

